Once
again we want to say "Thank you" for your business and support in 2014.
For over 35 years we have been providing safety equipment, services,
and solutions for many companies in the Midwest. This would not be
possible without you, our valued customer.

TRAINING/CONSULTING & INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SERVICES

We can provide air monitoring for respirable crystalline silica or we
can rent you the monitors and calibrators to do it yourself.
Contact Mark Calvert at 816-221-3230 x120 or markc@daystarsafety.com.

On Sept. 12, 2013, OSHA published proposed standard 29 CFR 1910.1053, "Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica”
for regulating occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica.
This proposed standard covers general industry, construction, and
maritime industries. Although the final rule and the specific
provisions still may not be completed for more than a year, the
standard will require baseline exposure monitoring to evaluate workers’
inhalation exposures to respirable crystalline silica. In the meantime
proactive measures can be taken to help minimize the potential impact
of the standard.

What is crystalline silica?

Respirable crystalline silica, very small particles at least 100 times
smaller than ordinary sand you might encounter on beaches and
playgrounds, is created during work operations involving stone, rock,
concrete, brick, block, mortar and industrial sand. Potential
inhalation exposures to respirable crystalline silica can occur when
cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and crushing these materials. These
exposures are common in brick, concrete and pottery manufacturing
operations, as well as during operations using industrial sand
products, such as in foundries, sand blasting, and hydraulic fracturing
(fracking) operations in the oil and gas industry.

Do I have crystalline silica in my workplace?

The chemical inventory and associated safety data sheets (SDSs) for
materials used in your operations or manufacturing processes can be
reviewed to determine if there are any materials handled or processed
that may contain crystalline silica. Crystalline silica can be found in
concrete, abrasive blasting agents, paints and coatings, abrasive
sanding materials, foundry sands, naturally occurring materials such as
granite and stone, polishing materials, dry additives, buffing
compounds, and other materials.
On the SDS, crystalline silica may be referred to as quartz,
cristobalite, tridymite, crystalline silica, silicone dioxide,
crystallized silicon dioxide, and others. The applicable CAS numbers
include: 14464-46-1, 14808-60-7, 15468-32-3 and 1317-95-9. It should be
noted that there are other materials commonly used in industry and
construction that can be mistaken for crystalline silica. These include
silicon, silicates and silicone. These materials are not crystalline
silica.

Do I have exposures to crystalline silica?

If you conduct any of the following work tasks, there may be potential exposures to crystalline silica in your operations:

This list is not all inclusive; there are other work tasks that could
also result in potential inhalation exposures to crystalline silica.

Next Steps

There are steps that can be taken now to prepare for a future crystalline silica standard, which include:

How do I evaluate potential silica exposures?

Potential inhalation exposure to crystalline quartz silica can be
evaluated by reviewing historical sampling data if prior air monitoring
has been conducted, and comparing the results to the proposed OSHA PEL
provided the sampling data is still representative of the work tasks
conducted. If representative sampling data is not available, then
personal sampling should be conducted for workers to evaluate their
potential inhalation exposures.

The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards*
following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA. OSHA publishes this
list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they
can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards addressed in these
and other standards before OSHA shows up. Far too many preventable
injuries and illnesses occur in the workplace.

CAOHC
Certification/Recertification Course
Day Star will be offering the CAOHC 20-hour certification and the
8-hour recertification course in March 2015 for those
individuals performing audiometric testing. For more information or to
register you may call 800-747-1401 or go online to www.daystarsafety.com
and click on Training Classes.

Construction Safety Group of Kansas City
- March 12th - 11:30 to 1:00 PM- Mark One Electric - 909 Troost Avenue
- Kansas City, Missouri - The speaker will be Richard Jones of Turner
Construction. He will present on OCIP & CCIP Insurance and
Safety Plans. Please RSVP by noon on Monday, March 9th, by
calling the CSG reservation line at 816-471-0880 ext. 1369 or contact
Sharon Mount, Secretary/Recorder at smount@thomasmcgee.com.

ASSE's
SeminarFest is the best source for continuing education and training
for the OSH professional. Instructors lead concentrated seminars and
exam preparation workshops over this seven day event.

SeminarFest is an excellent opportunity to earn up to 5.1
CEUs/Recertification Points in one week. Whether you join us for one
day or the full seven days, this event will satisfy your continuing
education needs in safety and health.View
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